Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Pilesdon(e) 1086 DB 1196 ChancR John AddCh 1201 FF 1219 1225 1236 1240 Sarum 1244 Ass l13 HarlCh 14 LodersC 1346 FA

• Pilesdun(e) 13 Weld2 Hy3 CottCh 14 Forde 15

• Pylesdon(') 1244 Ass 1266 Ch 1305 ADII

• Pylesdun' 1250 Fees

• Pilisdune 13 Weld2

• Pylisdon 1332 FF

• Pillesdun(') 1167–8 P 1198 Forde 15 Pat 1226 FF 1345 1227

• Pillesdon(') 1168–9 P 1197 1199 13 GlastR 1202 P 1209 Abbr 1218 FF 1244 Ass 1250 Fees 1280 Ass 1303 FA 1811 OS

• Pillesdowne 1570 DCMDeed

• Pyllesdon 1218 FF 1454 Cl 1457 Pat 1484 Hutch3 1546 Ct

• Pyllesdune 1288 Ass

• Pillisdon(e) 1235–6 Fees 1309 Drew 1325 ADVI 1493 DCMDeed

• Pyllysdon 1451 Pat 1504 Ipm

• Pillsdon 1586 DCMDeed

• Pillesden(') 1169–70 P 1324 Drew 1329 HarlCh 1452 Fine

• Pilesden' 1199 CurR

• Pulesdune c.1185 Templar

• Pulesdon(') 1200 Cur 1406 ADI 1431 FA

• Pullesdon 1404 Fine 1412 FA 1422 Ct

• Pyulesdon 1269 Ch

• Pollesden' 1280 Ass

• Polesdon 1316 FA

Etymology

Most probably 'hill of the peak, hill with a peak', from OE  pīl (gen.sg. -es ) and dūn, with reference to Pilsdon Pen infra which lies in the N of the par. The word pīl has various meanings in OE including 'spike, arrow, shaft, pile, stake', and it would seem likely that the term is here used figuratively to describe the shape of this hill, at 909' the highest in Do, cf. Fägersten 291 and Hutch3 2 235 where it is appositely noted that Pilsdon Pen 'is conspicuous and remarkable on account of the peaked form its southern extremity presents, as seen from many parts of the adjacent country, a peculiarity from which its name perhaps arose'.Of course a more literal application of the word pīl is also possible, thus 'hill of the stake, hill marked by a stake', whereas an unattested OE  pers.n. *Pīl , proposed for Pilsley and Pilsbury PN Db 161, 370, looks unlikely. The form Pyulesdon 1269, considered by Ekwall DEPN to indicate a different first el., is shown to be an isolated one and not significant: the spelling Pyules - is no doubt simply a variant of the relatively rare Pules - (for ME u for i v. PN Gl 469, but both Pul (l )es - and Pol (l )es - may also suggest confusion with pull , pol 1 'pool').

It is curious, and should therefore be noted, that surnames containing the el. pīl occur locally, e.g. Walter de la Pyle 1288Ass (in a context associated with Pilsdon), Edith atte Pile , Nicholas atte Pile , Thomas atte Pile 1327, Thomas atte Pyle 1332 SR (all taxpayers in the neighbouring par. of Stoke Abbott), but it is perhaps unlikely that the reference is to the pīl of the p.n.